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A Bloomberg Foe Turns Into a Supporter

Mayor

Four years ago, Dennis Rivera was so angry at Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg that he promised that his powerful health care workers’ union, 1199 S.E.I.U., would bounce the mayor out of office. “We don’t get mad — we get even,” Mr. Rivera memorably said during his union’s endorsement of Mr. Bloomberg’s Democratic opponent, Fernando Ferrer.

On Tuesday, Mr. Rivera had some strong words again about Mr. Bloomberg — but this time to praise him, not bury him.

“I’m very proud to support him,” said Mr. Rivera, who is now chairman of the Partnership for Quality Care, a Washington-based health advocacy group. “Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg and his leadership, we know that New Yorkers will continue to live healthier lives and New York will continue to be a model for cites, and states, and countries across the globe. I look forward to his education and innovation as our mayor, and to continue working with him to improve our health care system in our country, for years to come, and that’s why he has my vote.”

Mr. Rivera stressed that he was speaking as an individual, and not on behalf of 1199. But he added that “certainly, I will share opinion with them.” And his endorsement is sure to fuel speculation about whether 1199 will still back the Democratic nominee, William C. Thompson Jr., as had long been anticipated, or whether the union will stay neutral.

The endorsement was one of several Mr. Bloomberg received from Democratic supporters on Tuesday meant to deflate the spirits of Mr. Thompson, who trails in the polls and has already been outspent at a ratio of 16 to 1 by the billionaire mayor. The others were John D. Podesta, a former chief of staff to President Clinton who also led President Obama’s transition team; Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America; and Jackie Hilly, executive director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

“Right now is the time for experienced leadership, for guts and for vision,” said Mr. Podesta, adding that he had never before crossed party lines. (Then again, it will not show up on his voting record: he lives in Washington, and is not eligible to vote in New York.)

Mr. Podesta, who is now president and chief executive of the Center for American Progress, a research organization in Washington, said that he had not spoken to either Mr. Clinton or Mr. Obama beforehand. Still, his decision to support Mr. Bloomberg — while personal, and based on their work together on poverty, health care and climate change — is the clearest indication yet that Mr. Thompson should not expect a political lifeline anytime soon from either president.

Bloomberg wants to turn this city – which has a long “live-and-let-live” mentality – into a police state where people get arrested for smoking a cigarette in Central Park or Coney Island, and where the king-mayor imposes not only his 3rd term on people, but also dictates their diets and calorie intake.
This is not the “leadership” we need, Mr. Rivera, this is fascism!

All of these big feeling people are only trying to get their names in the paper.
Not that anyone recognizes them when they do.
Now it’s NYT’s Headline News that Bloomberg is trying to get Obama’s endorsement.
Really?
It would be a step up for Obama to have his name in the paper with Bloomberg as he isn’t doing too well right now himself!

Did I hear a faint groan from Mr. Rivera? After which his heart and mind would follow. Yours would too, as others’ have. Whatever means may be available will be applied.

Why does Mr. Bloomberg so badly want to keep that job? If there is a compellingly obvious answer it is unknown to me. I can see what’s happening, but when I ask why, I am disappointed at the banality of the answers.

The people of New York have twice overwhelmingly voted for term-limits. The Republican candidate, Bloomberg, has spit in the face of New Yorkers by throwing these votes out of the window and canceling term-limits so he could run again.

One set of rules for Bloomberg, another set of rules for anybody else.

That’s a BIG NO-NO for me, I don’t care what any of these phony Bloomberg supporters say. Besides, they have received a check in return for their support anyways…

I wonder how much this endorsement cost? We read constantly about the amount Bloomberg is spending on ads etc but rarely about how much he gives or donates to earn these endorsements. That would be a much more interesting story than this one.

I guess Rahm wants the president to support the rich patron of Jewish causes and whatever Rahm want’s, he gets. Biggest mistake of my voting life. The president is a slave to AIPAC and will not even see the Dalai Lama so as not to offend China. I am happy to know that Jews and Chinese will be looked after by this president who is turning out to be nothing but a corporate lackey for the biggest check!

Thank goodness some people are willing to look past partisan labels and choose the leader who is the most qualified. Mike Bloomberg has governed with only one principle in mind, “what is best for the 8 million people of New York City?” He has shown courage in supporting policies that may not be popular, but are necessary to improve the lives of New Yorkers. I want a mayor who looks at what works and doesn’t focus on what the special interests want. Kudos to Dennis Rivera, John Podesta and everyone who recognizes that at this difficult time we need the best leaders and not what is best for political parties.

When you have 8 million people, what’s best for some will not be best for others. With 8 million, there will always be competing interests. So any mayor has to make decisions about whose interests will prevail. With this mayor, the preferred interests have always been his developer and banking buddies, without exception. He has prided himself on not having to be answerable to interest groups. But an elected official’s being answerable to interest groups is what democracy is all about.

Prime example: term limits. It doesn’t matter what you think about term limits. The point is that the electorate twice voted in favor of term limits. And Mike Bloomberg promised he would respect those specific votes by the electorate. But Mike Bloomberg did not keep his word.

If Mike Bloomberg didn’t have his billions to spend buying support and intimidating prospective opponents, he would not be in this race. Any favorable perspective on his legacy is factually without support–anything positive you may think about him is only the result of his very expensive and ceaseless propaganda operation.

Mike Bloomberg had eight years to establish a favorable legacy. He failed. Now he wants four more years to serve the interests of a very limited and privileged group of self-important people. Let’s give someone else a chance. Someone who will respond to constituent interests. We have nothing to lose and a restoration of democracy to gain.

I doubt that Randi Weingarten will sellout to Bloomberg as Dennis Riveria did. From her records, she is very much against Bloomberg, so I doubt that anything will make here support him. Keep in mind that TWU Local 100, who is lead by Roger Toussiant, supports Thompson over Bloomberg. My best bet is the UFT will most likely go for Thompson after so many years of hating Bloomberg. I think that the real reason Riveria gave his support for Bloomberg was because he didn’t want to be on a losing side when he supported Fernando Ferrer in the last mayoral election.

One of my reasons for admiring Mayor Bloomberg in days past was that he was “clean and not beholden to special interests”. Probably true. But what I failed to take into account was how he – as the purseholder – was influential in dispensing his billions to charities, organizations, pet projects and the like, as mayor. He has made many friends and gained many supporters, admirably. But lately, he has pushed too hard to maintain his control and his power; his machinations in terminating term limits is an example. All the favorables are on his side in this race, and he’s the odds on favorite, as evidenced by his racking up endorsements from friends and foes alike. Nevertheless, his opponent, Bill Thompson, has made a decent and courageous run with his limited resources, has presented himself as sincere and honest, and deserves a chance to serve as New York’s mayor. I hope he makes it.

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